


Happier

by Bex90



Category: Shameless - Fandom, gallavich - Fandom
Genre: Canon Divergent, M/M, Pining, Post Season 7
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-28
Updated: 2018-06-28
Packaged: 2019-05-29 19:10:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15079769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bex90/pseuds/Bex90
Summary: Ian finally heads to Mexico to find Mickey.This fic is based on Happier by Ed Sheeran.





	Happier

**Author's Note:**

> Well it's been an age, hasn't it? I can't tell you how many times I've started and restarted writing this. But here it is and hopefully this means the multi chap I've been toying with will not to be too far behind.

The second he got off the plane, Ian was hit with the humid Mexico heat and he couldn’t help but chuckle to himself as Mickey’s words rung in his head. 

_Bet your ass burns like a motherfucker_

He followed the crowd into the terminal, through security and over to the baggage claim. Ian stood back as he waited for the bags to come in, instantly spotting his own amongst the rest. He was quick to pick it up and wander out to a cab rank. He gave the cab driver the address of his motel and settled back to watch the Mexican landscape. 

_Walking down 29th and Park. I saw you in another's arms. Only a month we've been apart. You look happier. Saw you walk inside a bar. He said something to make you laugh. I saw that both your smiles were twice as wide as ours. Yeah, you look happier, you do_

It had been a disheartening first week, and Ian was trying to come up with a change of plan. His Spanish hadn’t improved and Ian wasn’t confident he’d be able to understand the fast speaking natives, no matter how hard he tried. He sat in a booth that faced the front door so he could see whenever someone walked in. The door opened blasting the bar with the humid afternoon heat, Ian glanced up and his heart stopped.   
  
_Ain't nobody hurt you like I hurt you. But ain't nobody love you like I do. Promise that I will not take it personal, baby. If you're moving on with someone new. ’Cause baby you look happier, you do. My friends told me one day I'll feel it too and until then I'll smile to hide the truth. But I know I was happier with you_

It took everything in him for Ian to stop himself from leaping from his seat and racing over to Mickey. Instead, Ian ordered another drink and just watched. He was still watching Mickey three weeks later. Mickey hadn’t changed much, his hair was still black but his skin was a little pinker. The biggest change Ian noticed was how much happier Mickey seemed to be. He smiled more and threw his head back in laughter, something Ian rarely saw when they were in Chicago. They’d never laughed that hard together.

Ian knew he’d fucked up by ruining what he had with Mickey. He knew he’d fucked up by leaving Mickey at the border. It took awhile for him to admit it to himself, but Ian knew what Mickey had done for him. How much Mickey had given up for him. Ian also knew he had a lot of work to do to earn Mickey’s trust back.

_Sat in the corner of the room. Everything’s reminding me of you. Nursing an empty bottle and telling myself you're happier, aren’t you? Ain't nobody hurt you like I hurt you. But ain't nobody need you like I do. I know that there's others that deserve you. But my darling, I am still in love with you_

Ian should’ve known how drunk he was by the numerous empty bottles that littered his table but it didn’t really hit him until he tried to stand up as last call was announced. He spotted Mickey wiping down tables and putting up chairs in the far corner of the bar as he stumbled towards the door. He’d hoped he’d be able to get out before Mickey looked up. But no such luck. 

“Gallagher?”        

                                                                                                        ~~~~~

  
Mickey desperately wanted his eyes to be deceiving him. Why the fuck was Ian Gallagher stumbling out of his bar? He dropped his rag on the nearest table and made his way over as Ian almost fell on his face. Mickey caught the drunk redhead as Ian stumbled forward, guiding him to the nearest chair.  
  
“What the fuck are you doing here, Gallagher?” Mickey stared down at his ex.  
“Lookin’ for you” Ian slurred, struggling to focus on the man standing over him. “You need to stop moving” Mickey rolled his eyes but obliged and pulled out the seat opposite. “Why?”

“Mick, I’m sorry” Ian started, leaning forward and reaching for Mickey’s hand. Something inside Mickey snapped and he wretched his hand away and backed up from the table.  


_Ain't nobody hurt you like I hurt you. But ain't nobody need you like I do._ _I know that there's others that deserve you. But my darling, I am still in love with you_

“What the fuck, Gallagher?” Mickey hissed. He glanced around the, thankfully, empty bar. _Why? Why after all this time?_ Mickey stared at his drunk ex and it like he was right back in Chicago. _Why did it take you so long?_ Mickey swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat and hauled Ian to his feet. 

“I’m cuttin’ out Meg, see you tomorrow” Mickey called as he headed for the door, Ian leaning heavily on him.   
“Nos demos mañana Mickey” Meg watched with a bemused smile as Mickey struggled under Ian’s weight.  
“Fucking hell Gallagher, you gotta help me out here” Mickey huffed as Ian dragged his feet.  
“Miiiccckk” Ian whined, tripping over his own feet. “Can we go home now?”  
Mickey pushed Ian to the ground as hard as he could, stepping away in disgust. “What the fuck?”  
“I’m here now, let’s just go home” Ian stared up at Mickey, perplexed.  
“I’m not going anywhere with you, you can’t just turn up after so long and just expect to go back to normal. Whatever the fuck that was” Mickey snapped. “You left me, remember? I asked you to come with me and you got cold feet at the last minute!”

Mickey could feel his anger rising as each silent minute passed between them. How could Ian really not say anything? Does he really not care how Mickey felt after being left at the border?

"I’m sorry, Mick” Ian parroted his words from earlier. 

They were words Mickey had desperately wanted to hear for the longest time. But at that moment they just made Mickey angrier.  
“You’re fucking sorry?!” Mickey shouted. “It’s too little too late, Gallagher”  
  
~~~~~

Ian woke the next morning with a pounding headache and the driest mouth he’d ever had. Groaning as he sat up, Ian squinted at his surroundings. He was on the floor of his motel room, still wearing the same clothes from the previous night. The redhead struggled to his feet and stumbled into the bathroom, staring at his reflection in the cracked mirror.   
“Fucking hell” Ian muttered as he took in his disheveled appearance. He tossed some water on his face before wandering out to the tiny kitchenette and powering up the prehistoric coffee maker. Ian glanced around the room, trying to make sense of what happened the night before but his memory was fuzzy. He poured himself a cup of coffee and dug around in his bag for his pills. That’s when he saw it. It was a inconspicuous little piece of paper that Ian could’ve easily missed. But there it was, sitting on the scratched table, right beside his room key.  
  
_You’re a fucking prick, you know that? Call me when you’re sober. 55987-34611 - M_

Mickey. That’s what happened last night. Their conversation from the night before came flooding back and it made his heart ache. _You left me._ After a cold shower Ian wandered the streets in search of the greasiest meal he could find.

_Ain't nobody hurt you like I hurt you. But ain't nobody need you like I do._ _I know that there's others that deserve you. But my darling, I am still in love with you. But I guess you look happier, you do. My friends told me one day I'd feel it too. I could try to smile to hide the truth. I know I was happier with you._

Ian spent the day wandering the city and in any other circumstance he’d enjoy the sights and smells of the Mexico streets. As the sunset he headed back to his motel to change and ready himself to face Mickey again. Ian had impressed himself by not calling or texting Mickey all day. It wasn’t easy but he thought it was for the best. Give Mickey a bit of space and all that.  


When Ian arrived at Mickey’s bar he was surprised to find it rather busy. He spotted Mickey at the bar, surrounded by people as he poured shots. There was that carefree Mickey Ian never really knew. The guy was clad in a tight black tee that showed off his toned body perfectly. Ian made his way over to the bar, hoping to get Mickey’s attention straight away but the crowd managed to push him to the side until he was shoved into the corner at the far end of the bar. It took a while but Mickey finally came over to Ian and put a beer in front of him.   
“Didn’t see my note, huh?” Mickey stated, looking over Ian’s shoulder.                                                                                                                                                        
“I did, just wanted to give you some space” Ian replied with a shrug.                                                                                                                                                      “Wouldn’t’ve left my number if I wanted spaced, Gallagher” Mickey said before walking away to serve another customer. Ian took a sip and couldn’t hide his smile.

Ian paced himself that night. He couldn’t keep his eyes off Mickey, who was had never looked so carefree and comfortable. At one point a group planted themselves at the opposite end of the bar and one of them embraced Mickey heartily, kissing both his cheeks. What surprised Ian the most was the Mickey didn’t pull away from the embrace like Ian expected him to. Jealousy surged through the redhead and Ian had to remind himself he had no claim to Mickey. It wasn’t his business if Mickey was seeing someone else, Mickey was entitled to do so.

_Baby, you look happier, you do. I knew one day you'd fall for someone new._ _But if_ _he breaks your heart like lovers do. Just know that I'll be waiting here for you_

**Author's Note:**

> I deliberately left it open ended as a punishment to Ian. The boy has taken the first step to earn Mickey back but he still has a long way to go.


End file.
